Ghanaian weightlifter, Winnifred Ntumi, gave the country three reasons to finally smile, delivering a gold and two silver medals on Sunday, the host nation’s first three in the competition.
The 21-year-old’s medals came the 49-kilogramme Snatch and the 49-kilogramme Clean and Jerk categories, where she claimed the two silver medals, with the gold coming in the overall 49kg category at the GCB Hall of the University of Ghana.
In the Snatch category, Ntumi’s performance of 63 secured her second place behind Mauritius’ Sheridane Pasnin (64), who clinched gold, with Madagascar’s Ny Hasina Andrimitantsoa Zo Lalainarinirina (60) completing the podium places.
Tunisia’s Wada claimed gold in the Clean & Jerk with a lift of 81, ahead of Ntumi (81), while Zo Lalain (80) and Pasnin (75) secured third and fourth place.
With a total tally of 144, Ntumi’s outstanding performance earned her the gold medal overall in the 49-kilogramme category.
Ntumi’s achievements add to her impressive track record, having previously won three bronze medals in the women’s 45kg events at the 2019 African Games in Rabat, Morocco. At just 16 years old in 2019, she also secured a bronze medal in the women’s 49kg bodyweight at the Africa Seniors Weightlifting Championship in Cairo, Egypt.
In December 2021, Ntumi won bronze in Uzbekistan during the World Championship/Commonwealth qualification in the 49kg category.